Method and system for providing an alternative common channel signaling path

Abstract

A method and system for providing an alternate common channel signaling system path. The alternative signaling path that does not rely on the same hardware or software that is used for a primary signaling path. The alternative signal path allows network devices on a local area network to be signaled when a primary signaling path to the local area network has failed. The alternative signaling paths may provide better fault tolerance for connecting local area networks to other external networks.

We claim:  
     
       1. A method for providing an alternate signaling connection, comprising the following steps: 
       receiving a first signaling message in a first protocol on a first signaling device on a first network from a second network to create a connection between a first network device on the first network and the second network;  
       converting the first signaling message into a second signaling message in a second protocol on the first signaling device;  
       determining from the first signaling device that a first signaling connection between the first signaling device and the first network has failed;  
       sending the second signaling message from a second network device associated with the first signaling device to a third network device on the second network over a second connection;  
       sending the second signaling message from the third network device on the second network to a fourth network device on the first network over a third connection;  
       sending the second signaling message from the fourth network device to the first network device on the first network over a fourth connection, thereby providing an alternate signaling connection to the first network device on the first network from the first signaling device.  
     
     
       2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim  1 . 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1  wherein the first signaling message is a Common Channel Signaling System Number-7 message. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1  wherein the second signaling message is a Signaling LAN Application Protocol message. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1  wherein the first network is a local area network and the second network is a public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1  wherein the first network device and second network device are modems, the third network device is a telephony switch, and the fourth network device is a network access server. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim  1  wherein the first connection is Transmission Control Protocol over Internet Protocol connection, the second connection and the third connection are telecommunications connections and the fourth connection is a data packet connection. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  7  wherein the data packet connection is an internal data packet bus connection. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim  1  wherein the second protocol is an Internet Protocol Device Control protocol. 
     
     
       10. A method for providing an alternate signaling connection, comprising the following steps: 
       receiving a first signaling message in a first protocol on a first signaling device on a first network from a second network to create a connection between a first network device on the first network and the second network;  
       converting the first signaling message into a second signaling message in a second protocol on the first signaling device;  
       determining from the first signaling device that a first signaling connection between the first signaling device and the first network has failed;  
       sending the second signaling message to the first network device on the first network via a second virtual signaling connection through the second network.  
     
     
       11. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim  10 . 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  10  wherein the first protocol is a Common Channel Signaling System Number-7 protocol. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  10  wherein the second protocol is a Signaling LAN Application Protocol. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim  10  wherein the second protocol is an Internet Protocol Device Control protocol. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim  10  wherein the first network is a local area network and the second network is a public switch telephone network. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim  10  wherein the second virtual signaling connection is a virtual signaling connection through a public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       17. A method for providing an alternate signaling connection, comprising the following steps: 
       receiving a first common channel signaling system number-7 message on a common channel signaling system number-7 gateway on a local area network from a public switched telephone network to create a connection between a first network device on the local area network and the public switched telephone network;  
       determining from the channel signaling system number-7 gateway that a first common channel signaling system number-7 connection between the first common channel signaling system number-7 gateway and the local area network has failed;  
       converting the first common channel signaling system number-7 signaling message into a second signaling message in a second protocol on the first common channel signaling system number-7 gateway;  
       sending the second signaling message from a modem associated with first signaling device to a telephony switch on the public switched telephone network over a second connection;  
       sending the second signaling message from the telephony switch on the public switched telephone network to a remote access server on the local area network over a third connection;  
       sending the second signaling message from the remote access server to the first network device on the local area network over a fourth connection, thereby providing an alternate common channel signaling system number-7 signaling connection to the first network device on the local area network from the common channel signaling system number-7 gateway.  
     
     
       18. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a central processing unit to execute the method of claim  17 . 
     
     
       19. The method of claim  17  wherein the second signaling protocol is a Signaling LAN Application Protocol. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim  17  wherein the second signaling protocol is an Internet Protocol Device Control protocol.